Rise of the Guardians

Rise of the Guardians is a beautifully animated film about identity, imagination and festive charms.

Jack Frost (Chris Pine) is a young and somewhat lost boy, who leads an invisible existence commanding the elements of winter.  When he is chosen to join the prestigious ranks of the Guardians, the iconic characters of legends who protect the children that still believe in them, Frost finds himself unwillingly drawn into conflict with the villainous Pitch (Jude Law), a dark parallel of Frost's own character.

The film is visually captivating, with showers of sparkling ice and snow beautifully captured with stunning detail.  From the frosting on Jack's hoody through to the glittering sand that is used to both construct and shatter dreams, the outstanding level of animation at once heightens escapism and produces a sense of realism.  This level of detail is also carried throughout the landscape, such as the ice covered lakes, swirling northern lights and the Easter Bunny's rainbow burrow, producing a world that is at once highly engaging and enchanting.

The characters are each confronted with a sense of loss, as their identities are threatened by the children's loss of faith.  This perhaps produces a social critique of children within contemporary society who grow up too soon, while inviting the audience to indulge in a blissful state of youthful innocence and imagination.  The supporting cast of highly entertaining confused elves (who don't actually make Santa's presents... they're just left to think that they do), fluttering baby fairies and eager walking eggs facilitate this by constructing a world that is both entertaining and enchanting.  The sophisticated artistry and themes of childhood imagination will therefore produce nostalgia in an adult audience, allowing the film to have resonance for audiences of all ages.

A very enchanting family film, which will evoke the nostalgia of childhood while drawing you into a fantastical festive landscape; perfect for Christmas.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Returning to an iconic landscape of plucky dwarves, silver-haired elves and fiery dragons, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first film in Peter Jackson's promising new trilogy.

The dwarves once possessed a glorious kingdom, Erebor, but when a dragon sets the skies alight with flames and they are brutally attached, the dwarves lose everything.  Years later, in the homely haven of the Shire, an unexpected visit from the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a band of dwarves suddenly upturns the life of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (a perfectly cast Martin Freeman).  Together they are thrust on a quest to restore the mountain kingdom to the Dwarf-Prince Thorin (a dark and gleaming Richard Armitage), who refuses to forget or forgive the past inflicted on his people.

Delving into the themes of revenge, courage and choice; the plot introduces a new set of characters within a familiar Middle-earth landscape, producing the perfect fusion of old and new.  Middle-earth is, after all, a potent symbol of a lost and idealised past, that was rich with fantastical possibilities.  Nostalgia therefore plays a powerful role throughout the film, evoked through the signature notes of music, familiar sweeping panoramic shots of stunning landscapes and several notable parallels with the original trilogy's narrative.  The stunningly improved visual effects and immersive 3D entices you to lose yourself in Middle-earth in a way that was not previously possible.  Rivendell, in particular, is divinely beautiful, for the 3D introduces a new and rich depth to the valley of cascading waterfalls and sparkling rivers.  The production design is once again incredible; evoking a medieval landscape that is at once heightened and told through exquisitely fine detail.

Where the film can perhaps be slightly faulted, however, is within the treatment of the narrative's pace.  In many ways, The Hobbit felt like one of the unabridged versions of The Lord of the Rings films, with some scenes lingering on screen far longer than desired.  By constantly dipping into the backstory, the progress of the story feels at times limited, particularly given the film's long running time.  However, the richness that this produces cannot be disputed.  "All good stories deserve embellishment," as Gandalf tells Bilbo.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a prequel rich with a strong cast, stunning visuals, a charming nostalgia and an underlying sense of impending danger; which will leave you curious to see the second part.

The Man in the Scarlet Cloak

The newly released trailer for Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill and Amy Adams.  In cinemas 14 June 2013.

Camelot (1967)

The legendary story of love, honour and justice is bought to the screen through beautiful designs and exquisite visuals, based on the musical production.

On the eve of a great battle, a forlorn King Arthur (Richard Harris) is thrown back through his memories of the Queen that he has lost, Guenevere (Vanessa Redgrave).  Falling in love with the beautiful young woman, the King proposes a new system of justice and invites knights to Camelot to form the round table.  Among them is the virtuous and dashing Lancelot du Lake (Franco Nero), whose chivalry and vows are challenged by his heart.

Love and politics are closely interwoven throughout the plot.  "Was there ever a more inconvenient marriage of convenience?" asks Guenevere, confronted with a union with Arthur that is founded on political obligations, rather than their desires or choice.  Guenevere's youth and dreams are subsequently stolen from her, allowing the film to draw an interesting portrait of female power.  Arthur is characterised as a King who, until the arrival of Guenevere, felt ill at ease in his crown: a position that he had never desired.  Harris' vulnerability evokes the audience sympathy, perfectly humanising his character.  Torn by their duty to the kingdom and their love for one another, the characters' longings and torment are explored through musical numbers which, while not memorable, produce an intimate insight into their perspectives and hearts.  

The politics of Camelot are furthermore explored through the deconstruction of the knight's code and introduction of a new justice system, based on trial and evidence.  The concept of being "civilised" and the potency of boundaries are emphasised throughout the plot, against which the morality, conduct and corruption of the characters are explored.  "We must not let our passions destroy our dreams," Arthur advises, as his kingdom balances on the precarious divide of prosperity and destruction.

The beautiful artistry won Camelot three Academy Awards, and the film is indeed at its finest in its visual construction.  The costumes are beautiful, encapsulating the different seasons that play a profound role in symbolising the themes of love and time.  Guenevere arrives at Camelot is a hooded cloak of white fur within a snow covered wood, her heart guarded, then later skips barefoot in floating golden dresses with flowers adorning her long flowing hair in springtime, as she melts to the temptations of love.  The production design is furthermore stunning, from icicle covered forests to misty, moonlight flooded woods and a thousand flickering candles against an ominous backdrop of darkness.  

A beautiful telling of the famous medieval romance, Camelot conveys the preciousness of the past, as well as the tensions between being both a man and a King.  The unfortunate conventions of musical films at the time, which includes still frames announcing each musical interlude, punctuate the storytelling and remind the audience that the film is highly-stylized.  However, the stunning design and treatment of the narrative render a story that is at once engaging and timeless.

Skyfall

Skyfall, the film that has captivated the country, delivers a stylish Bond film that is visually thrilling and soars with its expectations.

When the top secret names of their undercover agents are stolen, MI6 desperately attempt to recover them while being thrust into a deadly spotlight.  When they fall subject to a vengeful terror attack,  a haunting past must be confronted in order to secure the future.

The plot is engaging and thrilling, as it examines the tensions between holding onto tradition and the necessity of embracing change.  Both the heroes and the villains of the narrative find themselves haunted inescapably by the events of their pasts, as they are faced with the possibility of a second chance: a resurrection.  From the challenging of M's outdated methods through to a damaged Bond, the film fittingly celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Bond by questioning the notions of development and decay.  The theme of change is furthermore presented through the film's exploration of technology and it's relationship with terror, as the dangers of globalization are illustrated through the villain's cunning manipulation of technology.

Dame Judi Dench is magnificent as M, who has a pivotal role throughout the plot, as she faces the devastating consequences of her choices.  Ben Whishaw presents a refreshing addition to the secret service as the new Q: physically embodying the concept of change and representing a new, more advanced generation through his sharp mastery of computer technology.  Javier Bardem stars as the villain, a rogue agent who perfectly oozes with charisma and danger.

With a dashing of humour and an identifiable twenty-first century London landscape, Skyfall not only transports audiences to the exotic reaches of Bond's world, but constructs a familiar and plausible British backdrop.  The film subsequently strikes the perfect balance between dramatisation and realism.  From the stunning opening credits through to a dramatic fight upon a neon-edged skyscraper, the highly stylised cinematography of the film is perhaps one of the strongest attributes of Skyfall.  With fight sequences told through silhouettes, the threatening narrative theme of shadows is stunningly visualised.  The further use of Bond's signatures, from the classic Aston Martin through to the subtly shaken martini and the notes of the classic theme tune, stir iconic chills.

With thrilling action sequences, engaging themes, a stunning use of landscape and the cool demeanour of Daniel Craig, Skyfall is the perfect Bond film.

There Is No Such Thing As Heroes

While Avengers Assemble may have been a somewhat superficial sequence of action and explosions that only skimmed the surface of it's iconic array of characters, the Iron Man films deliver the perfect blend of charm, character and conflict, set against a backdrop of contextual resonance.  The first look at Robert Downey Jr.'s latest adventure in the iron suit promises an exciting new chapter.  Iron Man 3 will be in cinemas 26th April.

Unlock Your Secret 007

Unsuspecting commuters are challenged to unleash their inner 007, within 70 tense seconds.  An exciting and excellent PR stunt for Skyfall by Coke Zero.

"I think that as a director you have to have a point of view.  I feel it's a cheat to, you know, with like all the details, everything that I have to decide on, that in the end if I go 'eh well you know it could be real, it could be...' I feel like it's too much of a cheat.  So I definitely have a point of view.  And I'm not going to tell what that is."

Len Wiseman

Mirror Mirror

Tarsem Singh's visionary adaptation of Snow White is a distant, colourful departure from the Brother Grimm's classic.

The Queen leads a lavish and indulgent lifestyle, plunging her kingdom into debt.  Seeking an attractive and wealthy solution, the Queen intends to marry the Prince, but he defies her intentions when he meets the King's beautiful daughter, Snow White.  Punished for upstaging the Queen, Snow White is sentenced to death, but is given the chance to escape and seeks refuge with a gang of bandit dwarves.  Together they embark on a Robin Hood-esque quest to restore justice to the kingdom.

Opulent and decadent, Mirror Mirror continuously borders on the ridiculous through the film's emphasis upon the excessive.  From the Queen's curious beauty treatment through to the Prince's costume at the ball, the film dismisses depth in order to indulge a younger audience.   Lily Collins stars as the royal protagonist, naturally radiating innocence and charm.  Her performance resonates of a Disney princess who has stepped straight from the classic animations, with a graceful and expressive demeanour.  Armie Hammer also gives a good turn as the Prince, who is used as a narrative leverage between the Queen and Snow White.  Supported by an enchanting soundtrack by Alan Menken, the composer of several of Walt Disney's greatest classics, the film also features a surprising cameo by Sean Bean and a Bollywood-esque ending, producing a contemporary rewriting of the classic story.

The greatest flaw of the film, however, was that it lacked a truly satisfying villain.  Julia Roberts delivers a somewhat entertaining turn as the Queen, but her continual attempts at humour prohibit her from achieving the fear that her character should inspire.  Her queen is a Marie Antoinette figure, living a life of decadent silk gowns and lavish parties; her motivations driven simply by financial deprivation.  When challenged "isn't that a trifle excessive?" she answers without hesitation that "there's no such thing."  Roberts' portrayal thus produces an indulgent and shallow woman, and little more.

A charming, contemporary fairy tale for young imaginations, Mirror Mirror fails to strike depth and resonance with an adult audience.  An innocent retelling that captures none of the original text's darkness.

Snow White and the Huntsman

Perfectly dark and enchanting, Snow White and the Huntsman presents a mature take on the classic fairy tale, by returning to the original Grimm's tale with themes of sexuality and entrapment.

A beautiful woman tricks her way into power with a phantom army, murdering the King and entrapping his daughter, Snow White.  Her poisonous reign enslaves the kingdom in darkness and death.  When she learns that Snow White's pure heart will allows her to achieve eternal beauty, she commands a huntsman to capture the girl who has fled her clutches.  The huntsman, however, defies her and is swept into a rebellion with the young princess against the Queen's reign.

Stunningly beautiful and deadly, Charlize Theron is perfectly cast as the wicked Queen Ravenna, visually drawing a contrast against Snow White.  Entrapped by her status as a woman, Ravenna is emancipated through dark magic and the manipulation of beauty.  The audience are enticed to engage with her as more than a mere villain, but as a woman constructed through sorrow and circumstance.  Her great insecurity is exposed in her calling of the mirror, which she indulges in to mask her suffering.  The physicality of the mirror as a figment of her imagination adds to the unsettling and sinister tones of her character.  She is thus at her most dangerous when her voice is soft, exposing the vulnerability, and subsequently desperation, of her character.  The Queen's beauty, which allows her to manipulate men and accomplish power, poses a potent symbol of corruption and strength.

Kristin Stewart at first won my reservations and mixed feelings in her portrayal of Snow White.  At times she perfectly portrayed a classically beautiful and courageous princess, at other moments she was clouded by her iconic sullen teenager countenance.  She successfully captured the sorrow of her character and was most evocative in moments of silence, but disappointingly was unable to effectively portray true grief.  However, by the end she delivered a reasonably strong performance as a tortured princess who draws strength from her purity and courage.

The Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), a physically strong character, was surprisingly vulnerable.  Haunted by heartbreak, he flits between charm and uncertainty, producing a man that is at once confident and lost.  It was refreshing to also see the Prince, William, in a role that expands beyond a fleeting romantic endeavour.  William is a character consumed by guilt, who is driven to passionately pursue the ghosts of his childhood.  Sam Claflin plays him with grace and dashing heroism, despite continuously facing the threat of being overshadowed by the new, titular male protagonist.  The dwarves, similarly, have a less pronounced but equally engaging role.  Depicted as a band of gritty, stalwartly and likeable rogues, they are led by a cast that include Ian McShane, Ray Winstone and Bob Hoskins.

Told in a beautiful and rich landscape, from dark forests to floating lakeside villages, the production design is perfection, drawing audiences into a truly divine world.   This is adorned by the fitting choice of British accents, beautiful costumes and stunning cinematography, which draws on a vivid use of black and white.  The unfortunate scandal surrounding the film, however, will tragically prohibit the satisfying sequel that is desired, leaving the film to end on a flicker of romantic ambiguity.

A classic fairy tale, retold and embellished with depth through visually-divine cinema, in a rich landscape.

Looper

Looper challenges narrative and time with sophistication, as a man fated to execute himself is confronted with difficult possibilities.

In the future, 2074, time travel has been invented and swiftly outlawed.  It has become the device of criminal organisations who, unable to dispose of bodies in their present day, send their targets back thirty years to 2044, where they are killed by hit men called loopers.  The loopers live in a blur of murder, addiction and indulgence, in a city torn apart by social corruption.  One such hit man, Joe, finds himself charged with killing his future self who is sent back to be executed.  When he fails to do so, Joe is confronted by his future and the chance to challenge the terror that consumes 2074.

One man, divided into two characters, produces an engaging concept as their different experiences and desires are bought into close conflict.  The two representations of Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis, perfectly compliment and clash with one another.  Gordon-Levitt's performance is mature and sophisticated, as he perfectly inhabits Willis' persona while capturing a character of his own.  With convincing make-up that blurs the actors' identities, Gordon-Levitt successfully constructs a young man who is both impatient and impulsive, while Willis explores the pain and desperation induced by loss.   Their paradoxical relationship delves into the discord between youth and experience, through the different manifestations of rationality and morality.

With intriguingly complex moments of déjà vu, the narrative is presented through intertwining perspectives and strands of time, that are constantly being rewritten.  The plot develops fluently, introducing intriguing and thrilling new elements that are richly explored.  Amidst the ever-ticking clocks and gunfire is a powerfully emotional centre to the story, driven by the characters' different bonds of love.  Emily Blunt delivers a strong performance as a Southern American, who is drawn into Joe's plot as the mother of a boy caught between the present and promised future.  Her young son perfectly alternates between sweet and sinister, as the film delves deeper into the prominent tension between malevolence and innocence.

A stylish, intelligent and daring science-fiction film, Looper is an innovative and engaging exploration of perspectives and possibilities.

The New Hobbit Trailer

Eleven years ago audiences were taken to the lands of Middle-earth: an idealised past rich with elves, talking trees and enchanted rings.  This winter, audiences will have the chance to return as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey takes to cinema screens.  

The Hobbit is, undoubtedly, an ambitious undertaking.  The decision to split Tolkien's three hundred page novel into three separate films has spiralled into controversy, challenging the artistic and capitalistic intents of the filmmakers.  But this new trailer promises to vanquish some of those doubts.

In two and a half minutes an enthralling new story is introduced with a cast of engaging new characters, as well as the favourite classics.  Illustrating Martin Freeman's perfect casting, a series of incredible landscapes and the film's stunning visuals; the latest footage introduces a strong, new adventure.  Return to Middle-earth on December 14th.

"By the time you get to a premiere on a film, people have done their judging.  They're out there to have a good time.  You've got the barrage of the photographers, you've got the sort of, you know, having to kind of sell an image… but selling an image is not as hard as selling a story and having people judge it."

Rosamund Pike

Lawless

Set in the prohibition era of America's 1920s, Lawless is the true story of three brothers who defy the law.  Brewing alcohol in glass jars, they are led them into violent conflict with the corrupted society of Chicago.

The depiction of masculinity is predominantly framed within the bildungsroman of Shia LaBeouf's character, Jack Bondurant.  LaBeouf produces an unexpectedly endearing turn as the youngest and most fragile of the brothers, desperate to prove his worth.  Tom Hardy delivers an outstanding performance as Forrest, an almost silent and imposing figure, redolent of violence.  The credible chemistry between the actors allows their relationship as brothers to feel indisputably genuine.   A fleeting appearance by Gary Oldman, however, illustrates how the film also has the tendency to too quickly sideline several of the most engaging characters.

The chaos of the city, ridden with violence and death, spills out into the country and threatens the Bondurant brothers.  This is led by Guy Pearce as the sinister Chicago special agent, Charlies Rakes, with slickly parted hair and an acid demeanour.  The disorder is illustrated through the brutal acts of violence, as the plot is consumed by indeterminate morality and authority.  The costumes and sets allow a sense of authenticity, bringing alive this vivid period of '20s America.  However, the quietly spoken southern accents demand concentration and made the dialogue at times difficult to follow, as did the continual introduction of characters, which caused the plot to fall into uncertainty.

Lawless depicts the themes of masculinity, family and authority through convincing performances.  However, there was something indefinitely missing from the plot, which prohibited the film from proving truly satisfying.

Anna Karenina

A desolate theatre, where the stalls are stacked high the discarded fragments of a lost past. Joe Wright sets Anna Karenina, his latest and most beautiful film to date, in a theatrical landscape, as he delves into the darkness and decadence of forbidden love.

Anna Karenina is a beautiful woman in Russian aristocracy, committed to her marriage to her uninspiring yet devoted husband, until she falls into the path of a seductive young cavalry officer. Set in the opulent world of Russian high-society, their scandal threatens to tear it apart, as the principles of righteousness and desire are challenged and overturned.

At once breaking the fourth wall and drawing you deeper into the stylised and elegant world of old Russia, the story unfolds across the stage, through the stalls and high in the rafters of the ruined theatre. The cast dance gracefully through their scenes in divine costumes, blurring the artistry between cinematic and theatrical performance. The synchronised, rhythmic stamping of clerks introduces the Atonement-esque soundtrack by Dario Marianelli, which is at once powerful and mesmerising. The costumes, sets and cinematography are beautiful and capture a story that is rich with symbolism. The socio-historical context of Russia is subsequently played out by the writer Tom Stoppard through the visual and emotional tensions between rural and urban, with devotion and betrayal. Trains cast in ice roll into smokey stations, while opulent balls mask tempestuous desires. In particular, the sequence at the ball is divinely stunning and evokes the complexity of socio-politics and of the heart.

Although there were moments where the plot was difficult to follow, and it would have been no loss if another leading lady had been cast in place of Keria Knightley, the film maintained a strong and captivating pace. Knightley, at times painfully wooden and unoriginal in her role, eventually grows into her character as Anna grows steadily darker and more tormented. The film stars strong performances from Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Matthew Macfadyen and Jude Law, who bring alive a cast of intense and iconic characters.  Newcomer Alicia Vikander and Domhnall Gleeson particularly shone in the film's second love story, as the misled belle of Russia and the lovestruck Levin, perfectly capturing the vulnerability of being in and losing love.

A divinely cinematic piece, Anna Karenina is the outstanding product of Joe Wright's beautiful artistry and cinematic vision.

Paranormal Activity 2

In a dark cinema with only two others, I found myself doing what I thought I never would... attending a screening of a haunting Paranormal Activity film.

Paranormal Activity 2 is both the prequel and sequel to the uniquely impressive first film, cleverly set both before and after the events of Paranormal Activity.  The family of the previous film's central character, Katie, move into a new house where mysterious and disturbing activity begins to unfold in the dark of the night.

The film exceeds in producing a sense of realism.  Filmed firstly by the daughter, Ali, through a handheld camera, and then through a series of security cameras installed around the property, we are provided with an intimate insight into the going-ons at the house.  Ali's point of view filming, in particular, presents an inescapably immersive experience.  With unsteady shots and grainy footage, the camerawork produces a perfect sense of authenticity.

The filmmakers successfully manipulate the mundane, producing a plausible representation of everyday life against which the paranormal happenings are set and intensified.  The film alternates successfully between sudden startling shocks and something more unnerving and psychological, through an effective use of the unknown.  With long periods of inactivity penetrated by sudden crashes, it plays on the unpredicted and inexplicable.  By cleverly employing low frequency sound at strategic points, an unsettling feeling builds suspense and haunts the sinister scenes.  Amidst this, the script presents an interesting comment on the contemporary subject of terrorism, by exploring the notion that it "thrives on fear."  But when the characters begin to delve into researching the cause behind the activity, the everyday portrait that was so cleverly constructed began to interestingly fall away: prohibiting the previous level of identification.

Rich with authentic filmmaking and shocking to the end, Paranormal Activity 2 is a confident horror film that stands as part of an outstanding franchise.

The New Cloud Atlas Trailer

A daring film that breaks conventions, pushes boundaries, redefines narrative and challenges the very fabric of filmmaking.  An ambitious exploration of fate, consequence and civilization.  Cloud Atlas, released in the UK on March 22nd.

Total Recall

Delve into a futuristic landscape, where the distinction between dreams and memory is so difficult to define that it becomes impossible not to lose yourself.

Set at the end of the twenty-first century, Douglas Quaid - played by Colin Farrell - is entrapped in a mundane life, haunted by inexplicable dreams.  Seeking something greater, he turns to Rekall who specialise in fabricating the memory of a chosen fantasy.  But in doing so, Quaid's world suddenly unravels and he finds himself at the centre of a war between a ruthless state and a terrorist rebellion.

Torn apart by chemical warfare, most of the planet has become completely uninhabitable.  There are now only two places: the United Federation of Britain and the rain-streaked Colony, separated by the seventeen minute passage of 'the fall'.  With moments reminiscent of Christopher Nolan's Inception, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner and Michael Bay's The Island, the film produces an absorbing futuristic landscape.  The cinematography is beautiful and unique - the glares of light and subtle refocusing of the camera create a world that feels at once unstable and uncertain.  This allows the film to delve into the uncanny against a backdrop of doubt and conspiracy.  Nothing is truly as it seems...

Colin Farrell perfectly captures a man who is lost and vulnerable, while also portraying the tensions of the complex and murderous potential that lies beneath.  His co-stars, played by Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel, were also highly engaging in their respective romantic and deadly roles.  The film plays on delicious moments that cast both Farrell's character and the audience into an equal sense of doubt as to where the line between reality and fantasy should be drawn.  The only flaw, I felt, was that the filmmakers could have taken this intriguing concept so much further with the ending, which disappointingly felt too neatly tied and simple.  However, with thrilling action sequences and a stunning cast, the conclusion fails to significantly tarnish the film.

Total Recall therefore presents an engaging exploration of subjectivity within a fabricated world, that is cleverly constructed through fractured memories and illusion.

Project X

The opening is a black screen with white titles, claiming that the following footage was real and never intended to be seen.  I love this authentic approach to film.  Perhaps that it the exact issue that I had with Project X - that while the film had this excellent framework, it failed to strike a sense of authenticity.

The camerawork felt too smooth and professional to truly be conducted by a mysteriously silent teenager in a trench coat.  This often led to the film feeling like an ordinary fictional film, rather than found-footage, which somewhat defeated the point.  The central trio of characters, clearly aimed at high-school boys, also felt like an uninspired repetition of The Inbetweeners.  There is the crude friend with over-ambitious ideas, the unpopular boy who falls victim to his friends antics and is besotted with a girl out of his league, and the overly smart-dressed nerd.  Instead, the true stars of the film had to be the two pint-sized security boys.  Approaching their security roles with absolute seriousness and devotion, they produced by far the best comedy in the film.

The film became increasingly identifiable as the party progressed, until it soared past all realistic possibility in spectacular style.  Interestingly, the film constantly redirected authority to the out of control teenagers, by presenting the adults within the film as either inept or approving of the younger generation's antics.  From a British perspective, given last summer's London riots, this felt like an interesting decision by the filmmakers.

The film lacked emotional weight, of course, but that's not to say that you won't be mesmerised with envy, and then utter despair, as the most epic party tears predictably into absolute havoc.

Casting Catching Fire

After months of speculation, wishing and dread, Lionsgate have finally officially announced the actor cast in this summer's most coveted role.  British actor Sam Claflin will be playing the role of the desirable and very dashing Finnick Odair in the highly-anticipated sequel to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Finnick, a former victor of the games, will be thrown together with Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark as uncertainty and dissent falls across the districts, following the heroes' controversial actions in the last film.  Finnick is introduced as a popular young man, from the oceanic District 4, who is skilled and deadly with a trident.  Charismatic with a seductive reputation, he proves that impressions are not always what they seem.

The twenty-six year old actor is best known for his roles in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and the recent Snow White and the Huntsman.  Claflin has proven his talent at capturing courageous and stalwart characters in his previous roles, and will hopefully bring the perfect balance of charm, intelligence and vulernability to the role.

Catching Fire is scheduled for release next year on November 22nd.

"I think you can't be prepared for life.  Life just happens to you, you know?  Life's what happens to you when you're busy making other plans and that's okay.  You've got to surrender to the adventure and the kind of thrill and the highs and the lows.  And right now all I'm trying to do is keep my eyes open, because I won't get to experience this moment ever again."

Andrew Garfield

The Dark Knight Rises

Dark and thrilling, the final instalment of Christopher Nolan's trilogy delivers a most outstanding and epic conclusion.

Set eight years on from the last film, The Dark Knight Rises follows Bruce Wayne, billionaire and cloaked hero, as he struggles to move on from the harrowing events of The Dark Knight.  Bruce's life as a recluse within his grand mansion is portrayed as meaningless; dust sheets pulled over the furniture in vast, almost empty rooms.  As he slowly loses grasp on the city of Gotham, our hero is faced with a crisis of identity.  Haunted by his past that he cannot move on from, but unable to embrace the masked man that he once was, Bruce Wayne is a man without an identity.  This is constructed through the symbol of the anonymous mask, which the script returns to explore several times, challenging whether the Batman was the hero of the people or a symbol of the everyman himself.  The film's marxist themes were furthermore an unexpected and interesting spin to the storyline, as Gotham is confronted with the perils of revolution and terrorism.

There were several truly excellent additions to the cast, with a significant portion of the cast of Inception reuniting under Nolan's incredible direction.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt shone as Blake, the hard-working, heroic cop who never loses faith in the Batman nor sight of his own difficult past.  But by far my favourite character had to Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle!  Stiletto heels, red lipstick and pearl necklaces, Selina is the definition of style, seduction and deadliness.  The cat burglar, whose intentions are often unpredictable, is the woman that men dream of and women dream of being.  Strong and independent, Nolan successfully delivers a confident female lead who is never once lost amidst the equally strong male characters of the plot.

While Tom Hardy gave a confident and effective performance as the plot's villain, a sinister force not to be reckoned with, he is notably restricted by the mask that consumes his face and distorts his voice.  The absence of Heath Ledger's ever charismatic Joker was therefore hard to miss.  However, where the film perhaps most fell down, at least initially, was within the bleak and ever so slightly depressing tones that surround the film's portrait of Bruce Wayne for the first half or so of the film.  While the storyline of a man unable to move on in a world that has was interesting, it was explored for far too long and made the plot feel slow and wary at times.

It was therefore the truly excellent twists at the end which really led me to be suddenly and completely hooked to every moment of the film's exciting, grand finale.  Two dimensional characters suddenly become rich with deep, intriguing histories and their motives were challenged and rewritten.  Set to the ever-incredible work of Hans Zimmer, the soundtrack perfectly captured the final film's dark and epic tone.  The Inception-esque ending is far from simple, and Nolan will leave you wondering whether it is indeed intended to be literal or metaphorical.

Christopher Nolan's filmmaking has redefined the superhero genre, making it dark, seductive and of an outstandingly high-quality.  It will be both hard and interesting to see how others attempt to follow....

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Surprisingly powerful and somewhat profound, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a story about the condition of humanity on the edge of an apocalypse.

As an asteroid heads towards earth, the population comes to terms with their soon-to-be end.  As parties, riots and homicides ensue, the film delves into the desperation and darkness that quickly consumes a powerless society.  Focussing on the story of two people caught in the midst of this chaos, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World takes a refreshing step back from a global story, producing an intimate exploration of the emotional repercussions of losing everything.

Steve Carell plays the likeable loner, who ploughs about his everyday business in the false security produced by routine.   His character evokes something identifiable: that sense of despair that you feel when a deadline is rapidly approaching and you realise how much you have yet to achieve.  While his determination to continue life as normal may be construed as frustrating, it offers a sense of steadiness in a quickly unravelling world.  Keira Knightley, meanwhile, stars as an impulsive and nostalgic british girl, lost from home and filled with regret: desperate to see her family one last time.  Although I am not particularly a fan of Knightley in some of her other work, I felt that she was well-suited to the role and made for the perfect contrasting lead beside Carell.  Look out too for a small cameo by the lovely Adam Brody.

Accompanied by a bright-eyed, adorable dog named Sorry (who is impossible not to fall in love with!), they embark on a journey of memory and discovery, as they try desperately to hold onto the past while facing their ominous future.  The story was engaging and provoking, questioning mankind's decisions and illustrating how precious time is.  However, the sudden change in the film's pacing towards the end felt a little rushed and threatened to undermine the plausibility of the story.  A bittersweet story to the end.

Heartbreaking and yet hopeful, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is an interesting exploration of how humanity handles their knowing fate.

Welcome to Star, my blog dedicated to new and nostalgic films.  I am a 21 year old graduate who adores films and is presently working in film marketing.  Thank you for visiting!